Trolley-harp.



H. WILLIAMS.

TROLLEY HARP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. I916.

LQQL25% Patented Apr. 3,1917.

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ROBERT WILLIAMS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TOCHARLES MATHES, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TROLLEY-I-IARP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

Application filed November 6, 1916. Serial No. 129,863.

and inexpensiv trolley-harp in which the usual trolley-wheelsupporting-member or hearing is yieldable, relatively-to the usualtrolley pole, both vertically and pivotally, so

as to compensate for elevations and depressions in the usualtrolley-wire and also to obviate jumping of the trolley-wire by thetrolley-wheel especially in rounding corners, bends, or the like in thewire.

With the above and other objects in view, my present invention residesin certain novel features of form, construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts, all as will hereinafter be described and afterwardpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates my invention in referredform,

Figure 1 is a plan View of a trolleyharp embodying my invention, thetrolley-harp being shown with its wheel in operative engagement with atrolley-wire;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the trolley-harp with its wheelsimilarly in engagement with the trolley-wire;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 4 is also a side elevational view of the trolley-harp and itswheel, the trolleywire being omitted; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on approximately the line 55, Fig. 2.

Referring to th said drawing, in which like reference characters referto like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the main plateof the harp, plate 1 being of metallic material of suitable rigidity andpreferably rectangular in outline, as seen in Fig. 5. Projectingobliquely downwardly from one end of plate 1, is a preferably integralsocket-extension 2 in which the upper end of the trolley-pole 3 isadapted to seat,

fastening-devices 4. engaging both socketextension 2 and pole 3 tosecure the same together. The pole 3 may be mounted upon the car (notshown) in any suitable or de sirable manner, the plate 1 extending in aplane approximately horizontally disposed to the roof of the car whenthe pole 3 is in its usual obliquely-disposed operative or normalposition.

Within its area, plate 1 is cut-away or perforated to provide a pair ofspaced apart preferably square apertures 55, in which apertures slidablyfit likewise preferably square posts 66 fixed at their upper end to, anddepending from, a second or upper plate 7 fiatwise disposed relativelyto main plate 1.

Intermediate apertures 55, main plate 1 is further perforated to providea central preferably circular aperture 8, in which aperture 8 similarlyslidably fits a cylindrical post 9 also fixed at or adjacent its upperend to, and depending from, second or upper plate 7. Threaded andsecured upon the lower ends of posts 6-6 and 9 are nuts or the like 10adapted to loosely secure plates 1 and 7 together, a spring 11 coiled oncentral post 9 and interposed between plates 1 and 7 yieldinglymaintaining the plates 1 and 7 in suitably spaced apart relation.

Projecting upwardly from the upper end of central post 9 or otherwisefixed upon the upper face of plate 7, is an enlargement or bearing 12,pivotally mounted upon which is the trolley wheel supporting memberproper 13. This member 13 is formed'preferably from a single strip ofsuitable metallic material, the strip being first bent to provide thebase-portion or wall 14 and then doubled upon itself, as at 1515, toreinforce or strengthen the base-portion or wall 14 at its ends, theends of the strip being then bent to provide the upwardly disposed legs1616. J ournaled to rotate between the legs 1616, is a suitable groovedtrolley-wheel 17.

Attached at one end to preferably the rear end of upper plate 7 as seenparticularly in Fig. 1, and at their other end to the projecting ends 15of wall 14: of the trolleywheel supporting-member 13, are oppositelydisposed somewhat obliquely extending coiled springs or the like 18adapted to yieldingly hold the trolley-wheel member 13 in normalposition with its wall or baseportion 14 transversely disposed atapproximately right angles to the plates 1 and 7.

Due to the spring 11, which is somewhat compressed when thetrolley-wheel17 is in engagement with the usual trolley-wire 19, thetrolley-wheel supportingmember 13 and its wheel 17, in use or operation,will freely yield vertically to compensate for elevations or depressionsin the trolley-wire. Thus the tension of the trolley-wheel 17 on thewire 19 is approximately uniform and steady, and wear and tear on boththe trolley-wheel and wire, as well as arcing therebetween and theconsequent damaging efiects thereof, are largely avoided. Further, inthe travel of the car, one or the other of the springs 18, as the casemay be, will first readily yield to permit the member 13 and its wheel17 to pivotally move to the right or left, as in rounding a corner orthe like, so that the wheel 17 may freely follow the wire withoutjumping and without unnecessary wear, the said spring afterwardreturning the member 13 and its wheel 17, to normal position.

Suitably attached preferably to plate 1, is a rope or the like 20,whereby the pole 3 and its harp may be conveniently manipulated, as isusual, into or out of engagement with the trolley-wire.

The parts of my new harp being, as stated, of suitable metallicmaterial, the current from the wire 19 will freely flow there through tothe pole' 3 and its electrical con nections, as will be well understood.

I am aware that minor changes in the form, construction, arrangement,and combination of the several parts of my new trolley-harp may be madeand substituted for those herein shown and described without departingfrom the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a trolley-harp, a pair of superposed plates, the lower plate beingprovided transversely with a plurality of apertures, posts dependingfrom the upper plate, said posts slidably fitting in the apertures ofthe lower plate, means on said posts beneath the lower plate for looselysecuring said plates together, a spring interposed between said platesfor yieldingly maintaining the same in spaced relation, said springbeing coiled on one of the posts, a trolley-wheel supporting-memberpivoted for rotation upon the upper plate, and springs positioned abovethe upper plate and engaging the upper plate and said supporting-memberfor yieldingly holding the supporting-member in normal positionrelatively to both the plates.

2. In a trolley-harp, a pair of superposed plates, the lower plate beingprovided transversely with a plurality of apertures, a socket-extensionon the lower plate, said extension being adapted for engagement with atrolley-pole, posts depending from the upper plate, said posts slidablyfitting in the apertures of the lower plate, nuts threaded on said postsbeneath the lower plate for loosely securing the plates together, acoiled spring interposed between the plates for yieldingly maintainingthe plates in spaced relation, said spring being coiled on one of theposts, a trolley-wheel supporting-member pivoted for rotary movementupon the upper plate, said supporting-member comprising a base-wallreinforced at its ends, and diverging coiled springs positioned abovethe upper plate and engaging the upper Plate and the reinforced ends ofthe supporting-member for yieldingly holding the supporting-member innormal position relatively to both the plates.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT WILLIAMS.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

